10 good uses for salt

Just a pinch of it and it’s worth it. We’re talking salt here. Used throughout human history, mentioned often in the Bible, ubiquitous and cheap. Mined from salt rocks and extracted from sea water, salt is… well, the “salt of the earth.” You can’t live without it healthily. At the same time, you can’t live healthily with too much of it. Get the balance right – in your food and in your live – and salt is worth it’s own weight.

10 surprising good uses for salt

1. Deter ants Sprinkle salt in doorways, on window sills and anywhere else ants use to sneak into your house. It’s a sure way to keep them out!

2. Kill grass and weeds growing in cracks in your driveway Tired of weeding your driveway? Sprinkle salt on the grass and pour very hot water over it. Not only is this a highly effective way to kill unwanted plants, it’s also eco-friendly and cheap.

3. Say goodbye to fleas If your dogs have fleas, simply wash their doghouse and blankets in salt water. If you’re worried your dogs may have brought fleas into your house, simply sprinkle your carpets lightly with salt and then brush it in. Leave it for 12 hours and vacuum thoroughly.

4. Pick up a dropped egg If you drop an egg on the kitchen floor, sprinkle salt on the mess and leave it there for 20 minutes. You’ll be able to wipe it right up.

5. Clean up oven spills quickly If a pie or casserole bubbles over in the oven, pour a handful of salt on top of the spill. It won’t smoke, smell and, most importantly, will bake into a crust that makes the mess easier to clean once it’s cooled.

6. Clean brown spots off your iron Simply sprinkle salt on a sheet of waxed paper, slide the iron across it and rub lightly with silver polish. Your iron will look like brand-new in no time.

7. Remove stains from your coffee pot Fill it with 1/4 cup of table salt and a dozen ice cubes. Swish the mixture around, let it sit for half an hour, fill it with cold water and rinse. Your coffee pot will look brand new.

8. Keep your windshield frost-free Dip a sponge into salt water and rub it on windows, and they won’t frost up even when the mercury drops below zero.

9. Shell nuts more easily Soak pecans and walnuts in salt water for a few hours before shelling them. Doing so will make it easier to remove the meat.

10. Drip-proof candles If you soak new candles in a strong salt solution for a few hours, then dry them well, they won’t drip when you burn them.

And some more uses

11. Tame a wild BBQ Toss a bit of salt on the flames caused by fat dripping from the grill. It’ll reduce the flames and calm the smoke without cooling the coals (like water would).

12. Soothe a bee sting Wet the sting right away, then cover it with salt.

13. Stop a grease fire Pouring salt on top of a grease fire will smother it. Completely.

14. Cooking tip If a soup or stew is too sweet, add a pinch of salt. (See more cooking tips.)